Briar Rose
by sojlanits
Summary: The story of Sleeping Beauty. Nobody lives forever.


**Please correct me if I am wrong.**

The king and queen of Algeria were very happy. Yet, sometimes they wondered if something was missing in their life.

One day queen Marie asked her husband a question that had been on her mind for a long time.

"Peter, dear, why can't we have children?"

Peter looked at her, deep in thought.

"Of course we can have children, it just, well, it takes it's time. Don't worry, my dear."

Smiling, he kissed his wife, but inside his head the question echoed

_Why can't we have children?_

--

_Knock, knock_

Aikia looked up from her book.

"Come in, come in."

She stood up and fixed her green dress before greeting the guest.

"Ah, king Peter. What brings you here to my humble home?"

The king looked furtively around before answering.

"I need your help."

Aikia raised her eyebrow.

"Well, that's why people come to me, to get help. What's your problem? Do you have an enemy you want to turn into a frog? Or do you want to see the future?"

King Peter shook his head.

"My wife and I really want to have children."

Aikia laughed.

"That is no problem."

She took a potion from the shelf and handed it to the king.

"Give this to your wife and you will have a child in a year to come."

Aikia laughed again and turned back to her book.

--

A year passed and a baby girl was soon born.

The king and queen named her Rose because of her red hair and rosy cheeks.

To celebrate Rose's birth, king Peter invited people from all over the country to a birthday party. Among these guests were 6 fairies who had been asked to bless the girl with their gifts.

--

The party had begun and it was time for the fairies' blessing.

The first fairy kissed the baby's forehead and said:

"My gift to you is the gift of great beauty. May you bear it well."

The next one gave her an angelic voice and the other fairies blessed Rose with good dancing skills, wisdom, grace and a humble heart.

After the blessing it was time to eat.

Suddenly a thunder clasped and the door opened.

Everyone fell quiet as Aikia the witch came marching in. She lookd at the king and bellowed:

"Was it your plan not to invite me, or did the messenger just get lost? Surely, you haven't forgotten who helped you when you were in need?"

Aikia walked to the cradle, and with gentle hands she picked up the baby.

"I have yet to give my blessing. Since you are my gift to your father, my dear Rose, my gift shall be softer than it would had I not given your father that potion."

Rose giggled, gazing at the stranger holding her.

"For 16 years you shall be happy. But on your 16th birthday you shall prick your finger on a spindle and fall asleep for 100 years. Everyone in the castle shall sleep with you and only wake up when you are kissed by a true prince."

Aikia put Rose back in the cradle and disappeared.

--

16 years passed.

For his daughter's safety, king Peter had all the spindle weels in the kingdom burned.

Princess Rose blossomed. She was famous for her beauty, grace and wonderful singing voice.

When she was 10 years old she read books by men such as Shakespeare and Dickens.

At the age of 15 she was helping her father rule the kingdom.

Then her 16th birthday arrived.

--

Rose woke up and had a feeling it was going to be a good day. The sun shone and the birds chirped as she danced around the room, singing happily.

" It's my birthday today, la la la. I'm 16 today, la la la."

Once dressed Rose hurried downstairs to the dining room.

"Good morning." she sang and kissed her parents before sitting down.

"Mm, this looks wonderful."

Her parents looked at their daugther with sadness in their eyes.

"Good morning, indeed." the king said sarcastally, but the princess noticed nothing as she ate happily.

"Rose, my dear." queen Marie began.

Rose smiled at her mother.

"Your father and I have to go on a little trip but we'll be home before dinner."

Rose nodded. Her parents often went on trips to visit the people in the kingdom.

"And, Rose, don't touch any spindlers while we are away." king Peter said gravely.

Rose raised an eyebrow.

"And why would I do that father? You burned them all down, God knows why!"

She laughed.

"Have a nice trip." she said, stood up and danced out of the room.

When the princess was out of sight queen Marie sighed.

"Oh, Peter. I'm so concerned about her. What if she falls asleep while we are away?"

Peter kissed his wife.

"Do not worry, my dear, I ordered the guards to keep a close eye on her and make sure she doesn't come near any spindles."

Peter smiled.

But Marie was not satisfied. She had a feeling something bad was going to happen.

--

"Goodbye, mother! Goodbye, father!"

Rose waved to her parents from her window and watched as they rode away from the castle.

Turning away she called the maid.

"Lisa! I'm going to the garden."

Rose put on her cloak and went outside, followed by her maid and two guards.

--

"I'm trying to find stones to add to my stone collection." she said to Lisa the maid as they walked around the garden.

Then something caught her eyes.

_What is that?_ Rose thought and picked the thing up.

It was quite small and covered in soot like someone had tried to burn it.

"No, princess! Don't touch that!" one of the guards called.

But it was too late. Rose touched the sharp end of the spindle and fainted.

Fighting the sleepiness that came over them, the guards carried Rose to her room and put her on the bed.

Everyone in the castle fell asleep doing their work.

The cook fell asleep making the soup. The gardener fell asleep watering the flowers. Even the birds on the roof fell aslepp in their nests.

Thick brambles grew around the castle, making it impossible for anyone to get near it.

* * *

Prince Nicholas was well known for his bravery and his habit to turn down every princess that wanted to marry him.

Since he was small he had listened to his mother's tale about Briar Rose, the beautiful princess who pricked her finger on a spindle and slept for 100 years.

When listening to the story, Nicholas used to imagine he would find the princess and wake her up.

"When I grow up, I'm going to marry Briar Rose." he said solemny every time his mother finished the story.

Now all grown up Nicholas was going on a journey. He was going to save his princess.

He traveled for months until finally he reached the land of Algeria.

"The castle." he whispered as he stood in front of a wood of roses. He picked up his sword and began to cut the brambles.

To his surprise the roses grew away from him and made a path to the castle.

For a long time Nicholas walked through the castle, completely lost.

He opened a door and was surprised when he saw a beautiful young girl asleep on a bed. Lying on the floor beside the bed were two guards.

"Briar Rose!" Nicholas whispered and walked towards the bed.

He kneeled down and kissed the princess.

The sun shone through the window and the brambles disappeared. All over the castle people were waking up.

The cook woke up and continued making the soup as if nothing had happened. The birds chirped happily and flew away.

Rose opened her eyes and looked in the eyes of the most handsome prince she had ever seen.

"Who are you?" she asked curious.

" I am prince Nicholas. I have come to wake you up."

He smiled at her.

"Princess Rose. Will you marry me?"

Rose really liked the prince standing before her, but she had a feeling something bad was going to happen.

"Well," she began.

"I don't know why I shouldn't."

Prince Nicholas smiled and kissed her.

Rose closed her eyes, enjoying the kiss.

_To hell with it__!_ she thought, ignoring the bad feeling that was bothering her.

--

They rode away the next day. All the servants waved goodbye to their princess as she rode away with her prince.

After hours of riding the prince stopped the horse. He jumped off and helped the princess off.

But when he laid his eyes on her, he froze.

"Rose, you, you.."

The princess before him was older than his aged mother. Her red hair had turned snow white and her smooth face was wrinkled.

Rose chuckled.

"You surely don't believe I would live forever. Of course, I believed it for a time, but when I saw my wrinkled skin I knew it wasn't true."

Tears fell down her face.

"Dear Nicholas. I've lived for 116 years. I have no family, my parents died ages ago. We can't live together. We're from different times."

She closed her eyes and kissed Nicholas for the last time.

"Goodbye, Nicholas. Find yourself a nice girl to love. Even if it won't be me."

With that she breathed her last breath.

Nicholas helt her lifeless body in his arms.

"No! Rose! Please, don't die." he cried, but he knew it was too late. She was gone.

**I once read a story about a man who found a valley in which the people lived forever. He fell in love with a girl who lived there and took her with him home. But as soon as she stepped out of the valley she grew old and died in his arms.**

**Enjoy!**


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